I've got a subject line now, Robbie...(March '02 t

[George_Savage]

 My Morning Jacket - Common Grounds - Gainesville, Florida
                                          March 19, 2002

   Well, believe it or not, I just learned the (very) hard way that you'd better put that subject line in before sending your 30-minutes-of-typing posts to the forum!   The forum kicked it out and it ostensibly obliterated my original post regarding March 19, 2002 MMJ remembrances.   But I'll guaran-damn-tee you that the sun's still comin' up tomorrow!
        So anyway, here goes nothin' again: I left New Orleans early that morning.  I drove and drove and drove and drove.   It's the nature of the interstate, I guess.  I arrived in Gainesville around twilight and of course I had to garnish the occasion with a blisteringly loud playing of It's about Twilight Now in my car.    I tried to camp South of town in a state park, but it was closed.   I found a small room with a kitchenette attached.   I partied in the room beforehand.   I also called my (now deceased) parents from a pay phone at a drug store to tell them that I was still among the living.
           I stopped at bar and got directions to Common Grounds.   It turned out that I was only about a mile away from it on the same road.    I saw two or three of the Nice Jackets out front.   I asked them if they were opening or closing.   It turns out that they were opening for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.   Swearing at Motorists were opening again.  
           This is the place that I first used the oft-repeated-in-2002 phrase: "I have carefully prepared tonight's setlist!"  They just laughed.   I told them something like "hey, just go in the there saw 'We're MMJ....we'll play as long as we want"
Reminds me of Johnny at Folsom Prison:  "how much time do we have left?   Fifteen minutes?  I'll take all I want!"  
            The place was pretty tiny; the bar was on the side and the stage was up on the end of the joint by the street.   Correct me if I'm wrong, some of you other Common Grounds visitors, but this place couldn't have held more than 200 people if it were bursting at the seams....250 max!
              They were geniunely proud and pleased to be there and Jim made this point.  I guess that he was happy that there were more people there than in New Orleans just 24 hours earlier, that's the impression I got, anyway.  I got the setlist from Ger's website, and he corrected my original assessment that they played about an hour!  He said that they actually played on about 45 minutes.  

One Big Holiday
The Dark
Lowdown
Just Because I Do
Picture of You
War Begun
Phone Went West
Bermuda Highway (solo Jim)

                 Tommy had a problem with his guitar but I can't remember if it was the sound-guy or an actual problem with the guitar itself.     I may be repeating myself as I repeat this Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but this was also the night that my red-eyed mind invented a ridiculous story.  
                  I was all abuzz when I arrived and I was recording and taking pictures and having a good time.  I was 11 days shy of my 40th birthday, so I was about twice the age of the average co-ed.   I invented this story during this realization.
I just thought to myself that if any of these kids ask "Who's the geezer?" that I'll just tell 'em "I'm Jim's dad!"   I'm obviously proud of 'my son' and what parent wouldn't be in attendance if they were able?   Of course, noone asked that,
but five days later it would develop further in the annals of Ridiculosity.
                  I was standing near a fanatical couple here; they are on the tape (which I can't find right now).   A friend came up to the dude (which turned out to be William Bowers, a writer who wrote probably still to this date *the* most impressive article concerning our beloved MMJ).   He turned around and asked a friend that he had spotted there, "have you heard their albums?  They're fantastic!"   When the band went into Phone Went West, both Bowers and his girlfriend exclaimed "this is our favorite song!"    It was a good show, the band was happy to play to a receptive crowd.   I kind of regret leaving before seeing Ted Leo.   I saw Tommy on the way out - he was just sitting there by the road and their van waiting on the others.   I asked him about his guitar situation and he said something like "it'll be okay".  I remember watching a Hank Sr documentary back at the motel and they stated that on Hank's first-ever Grand Ole Opry performance that he did SIX encores!    I imagined what it would be like to see My Morning Jacket come out for six encores.   The next day would be a relatively short drive.
Just about two or three hours to Tampa.   As I attempt to send this, I hope and pray that it'll go!   Thanks to the band for putting up with these shenanigans and absurdities.

Low Dog
np:  I Will Sing You Songs - Atlanta, March 21, 2002

P. S.  Can't remember if this is in here but I did write it on my original post that's out there in the cyberspace floating around in the abyss......as I drink the last of this Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I can't help but think "isn't this a lot like Anchor Steam and/or aren't they both brewed in the San Francisco area?"   I guess I only know one thing for sure:   they both taste Damn Good to me!  

[fitzcarraldo]

Yeah Low Dawg. Anchor Steam is brewed in San Fran and Sierra Nevada is brewed in Chico about 3 hours north east of San Fran. Been to the Sierra Nevada brewing company for 12 bucks they give you 4oz's of 12 different brews they make. They have one called Bigfoot Ale, something like 11 percent alcohol. Both Anchor and Sierra Pale are great beers  if a bit filling.